Improvement in car-couplings



T. ANDRESS.

` Char-Couplings. No. 144,428. PaentedNovJlnsjs.

Witnesses:

Ulvrrn Srii'rns Plvrnlvu CFFICE.

THOMAS ANDRESS, OF AUROBAVILLE, WISCONSIN.

IMPROVEMENT IN CAR-COUPLINGS.

'Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 144,428, dated November 11, 1873 application filed July 19, 1873.

To all whom it may concern:

7 Auroraville, in the county of Waushara and State of Wisconsin, have invented a new and Improved Oar-Coupling, of which the following is a specification:

In the accompanying drawing, Figure 1 represents a top view of my improved car-coupling; Fig. 2, a vertical longitudinal section on the line Fig. l; Fig. 3, ahorizontal section on the line z z, Fig. 2; and Fig. 4, a detail vertical transverse section of the same on the line y y, Fig. l.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts.

The object of my invention is to construct a ear-coupling which couples automatically and connects the cars securely, so that no detaching of the same may be caused by the jerks to which they are exposed, besides giving sufficient play for curves, unevenness of the track, and the dierence in height of the platforms of the cars.

My invention consists in the arrangement of the coupling-pins with spring-slides, which are disconnected from the draw-bars by suitable treadle mechanism, and produce the coupling of the links by the simultaneous action of rods attached to the draw-bars and coupling-links on intermediate pivoted levers.

.` In the drawing, A represents the draw-bar of the coupling, of suitable size and material, attached to both ends of the car. Each drawbar, together with coupling parts, is constructed like the adjoining one, so that a double coupling is obtained. The coupling-pin B passes vertically through holes of the drawbar, its headwbeing attached by means of a chain, a, to a suitable treadle or wheel and ratchet arrangementof the platform or top of the car, to be lifted out of the draw-bar by the brakesman, uncoupling the cars thereby. Coupling-pin B passes also through a slide- Vpiece, b, of T shape, which moves in similarly shaped guides d at the top of draw-bar A. A lateral shoulder, d', connects the rear ends of guides d, through which the rod b of slide l) passes, to be acted upon by a spiral spring, e, placed between shoulder d and head e of bolt b. A weighted lever, f, is pivoted to shoulder d, and attached at its fore end to chain a', which passes through the head of pin B and is applied with its other end to the fore part of draw-bar A. When the coupling-pin B is in its position in draw-bar A lever f locks slide d, and through it pin B, rigidly in this position, but as soon as the pin B is. lifted out of drawbar A chain a also raises lever f, so that the pressure Aof thespiral spring-e on rod e and slide b carries the same backward, and with it pin B. A sidewise-projecting lever, g, which is pivoted to the top of draw-bar A and guide d, passes through a slot of the latter into a recess of slide b, as indicated in Fig. 4, and is therefore carried back by slide b when pin B is withdrawn from draw-bar A. A curved bar, C, with T-shaped head, is rigidly applied to the side of the draw-bar opposite to that of lever y, so as to project some distance beyond the mouth of draw-bar A and strike lever g of the draw-bar of the car approaching for coupling. Lever g carries thereby slide b, with piu B, forward, till the latter stands immediately above the holes of draw-bar A, and drops for coupling by its own weight. The couplinglink D is connected by intermediate links l1l and i to a solid lever, E, which is pivoted to strong lugs l at the lower side ofthe draw-bar A, moving in slots m of the same. A spiral spring, a, attached to the upper part of lever E and the rear part of draw-bar A, forces lever E and link D back when not carried forward by the action of lever-rod o, which is connected to the lower end of lever E. Bod o passes horizontally through a guide-slot, o', of bolstershaped extension F, at the lower side of drawbar A, and is long enough to strike the extension F of the adjoining draw-bar. The coupling-link D is thereby carried forward, so that the pin B of the adjoining draw-bar locks into it. The simultaneous action. of bars O and rods o of the draw-bars of both cars produce the jointdouble coupling of their links and pins by striking levers g and bolsters F. The bolsters F may be of semioircular or other shape, vand should be large enough that cars` with platforms of different heights may be coupled. The front part of the couplinglinks is of pointed shape, so that they slide easily over each other for coupling.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patentl. In car-coupling, the combination of couppin mechanisms, bars C, and rods o, forming 4. The combination of draw-bars A, link and the double car-coupling, substantially as and for the purpose described.

THOMAS ANDRESS.

Titnesses O. HUGHES, THOMAS THoMAs. 

